


The Laughter List

by starcrossed_writer



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Autistic Keith (Voltron), Laughter, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron), Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 08:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30069180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starcrossed_writer/pseuds/starcrossed_writer
Summary: There’s a list Lance keeps that describes all the stages of Keith’s laughter.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Kudos: 73





	The Laughter List

There’s a list Lance keeps that describes all the stages of Keith’s laughter.

He began it at the start of the Voltron era, back when Keith didn’t laugh as freely as he does now, so each exhale of contentment was precious and treasured. Though, back then Lance hadn’t called them that. If anything he’d just been documenting the bizarre ways in which to change Keith’s mood. An offhand comment here, a stupid face there...just things like that that Lance would pick up on. He’d notice Keith staring from the corner of his eye, lips twitching upwards whenever he did something dumb. 

So it had become a sort of game for him: this...challenge to flip the red paladin's frown over. He made jokes more often, performed silly tricks whenever he could…

Soon though, a time came when Lance didn’t have to be doing anything. He could be standing perfectly still in the corner, not making a sound during a meeting, and Keith would glance over with a glint in his eyes. Not upset, or provoking. Just watching. Content to do only that. It was confusing at first, but soon Keith started looking at him without that initial scowl. Soon their eyes would meet and Lance would watch that frown disappear in a blink, replaced by a brilliant smile that would send Lance’s mind into turmoil. 

And thus, the first entry on his list was just that:

A smile.

But there was a subheading that soon followed. Closed lipped smiles were beautiful, but fleeting. They were smiles of passing: a joke recognized, a comment acknowledged. It was the smiles with teeth that Lance began to pursue. Those meant lingering feelings of elation; joy not so easily contained. And whenever he managed to make Keith smile with his pearly whites on full display - tiny fangs poking out over his lower lip - well...those were moments etched deep into Lance’s memories. But they were nothing compared to the actual laughing.

Now, here’s where things get tricky. Originally, Lance figured Keith only had one laugh. A short chuckle: calm, collected...nothing much but still a laugh. It counted, even if it was more of an exhale than anything. 

And for a long while that was all Lance knew. And he was fine with that. Because it was a laugh. It counted.

But then he’d been graced with something better. The day he’d been tricked by Nyma - strapped to a tree on a planet he knew nothing about - humiliated and shamed…It was Keith who came to get him. And it was Keith who changed his entire mood, flipping it from utter disappointment to complete euphoria. Because it was Keith who laughed, and it wasn’t that expulsion of contented air that Lance had come to know. It was hearty. Full. Like listening to orchestra finally learning how to play their instruments in harmony. It felt complete, and Lance’s cheeks were a bright red as Keith laughed at him, but not because he was embarrassed. He was blushing because he’d never once thought he’d ever hear something so miraculous come from those lips. 

He’d added another row to his list, and called it The Big One, thinking he’d never hear it again. Only, like a fool, Lance had once again underestimated this fiery spirit of a boy. Lance began to notice the stages between the laughs after that incident. 

It started with the exhale, and then there was a level with noise. Like that first chuckle, but, shy almost. And then there was the actual chuckle, which reminded Lance of a hen on helium and made him grin whenever he heard it. But those were all minor laughs. And though Lance still loved hearing them, they always left him wanting more.

As time went on he discovered a level of laughter in which Keith would chuckle awkwardly and his eyes would flit away, almost looking for an escape route (he had never been great at social gatherings). Or the sarcastic ones where he's go "ha ha" in a snarky tone. Those were good too, but Lance didn’t like them as much as the others. Mostly because he only heard them when they were in larger groups, and he begun to think that maybe they were forced. He’d marked those as The Social Laugh, and always took it upon himself to target Keith into laughing properly at meeting and events; trying to get him to give more. 

And then one day it happened. During a mission de-briefing with the crew. Lance hadn’t even been trying - had just made an offhand comment about something or other - but for some reason it had forced Keith into a fit of laughter. The Big One made a reappearance that day, and the best part wasn’t even the sound of it, but rather the look on everyone else’s faces as they’d all turned to stare at Keith in shock, who’d clasped his hand over his mouth in horror. Lance had been filled with pride, even as Keith had smacked his arm after being scolded by Shiro into behaving. Because he’d done it. He’d heard it again.

After that, so long as Lance was with him, Keith’s Social Laugh slowly died away. Lance crossed it off his list, and circled The Big One for emphasis. There was still so much to discover, of course, so the list wasn't over. Their feelings grew, their attentions shifted, and with it so did Keith’s laughter. The Big One now had subheadings, ranging from tears in eyes to open-mouthed howling - no sound coming out as Keith collapsed in a fit of humor. Lance loved those ones, because for the most part he was right there with him: gasping for air over the most mundane thing, pain erupting in their sides as they laughed and laughed and laughed.

But on the other end of the spectrum, well...there were laughs that Lance learned about that had his heart fluttering and head spinning wildly: face warm and body yearning. They were Keith’s Secret Laughs. Meant only for him. Things like The Giggle, which Lance simply adores, because no one in their right mind would think such a noise possible from such a gruff exterior. But Lance knows. And only Lance knows, because only Lance gets to hear it: late at night tucked under the covers, whispering giddily in each others ears. Keith would giggle and wildly wriggle his body because Lance's voice tickled his ear, or Lance told him something exciting and his hands would happily jitter like a constant vibrato that beat against Lance's ribcage in the best way.

There’s also The Snort, which had Lance speechless for minutes after hearing it the first time. Because...wow. Keith snorts, and it's cute as hell. The only reason that laugh is marked as one of the Secret ones is because he’s yet to make Keith show it to the others. The kid is stubborn, and for some reason he only dissolves into piggy-like laughter when he’s alone with Lance.

It’s frustrating, but Lance isn’t even that mad about it. In fact he finds it incredibly endearing, but that doesn’t stop him from trying. He has a bet going with Hunk. His list grows as the years go on. He keeps adding to it: making amendments, writing notes, and watching.

If he wiggles his brows to hint at an innuendo he can get Keith to make a noise in the back of his throat that’s followed by one of those toothy grins.

If he compliments him offhandedly - during a mission or over breakfast - he gets to listen to the shy chuckles. Sometimes there’s even a giggle if they’re alone.

If he does something stupid, like fall out of bed after a dream, or trip during a delegation dinner, he’s blessed with those open-mouth laughs that come and go in spurts - lasting hours afterward and typically resulting in kisses to get him to stop. 

His newest edition is The Hiccups, which he’d found out about after a night of celebration; staggering back to the castle drunk (Shiro had allowed them begrudgingly as they were both of Earth age finally) with arms wrapped around shoulders. He’d bumped into a bush and apologized, confused in his drunken state, and Keith had laughed. He’d laughed through all the stages, until he’d surpassed them and landed on an entirely new level. 

The high-pitched squeak of a hiccup that had interrupted his giggles had sent them both into hysterics. 

Lance _loved_ it. Loves _Keith_. Each day is a new adventure: a new opportunity to hear Keith express his happiness. He keeps that list with the stages of laughter. 

He brings it out every now and again: looking it over, reminiscing. He can track Keith’s progress using it. He can see how far his love has come, how much they’ve changed. 

And it makes Lance happy. More than he can describe with words. 

He loves all of Keith’s noises, all his sounds of joy and contentment and everything in-between. Lance loves them, loves being with his boyfriend.

And when he proposes he thanks Keith for showing him all of it. He thanks the universe for bringing them together. And he asks that Keith continue to laugh with him, through this life and into the next.

 _Laugh with me_ , he says. _And I’ll laugh with you. Forever and ever, until the stars burn out and the sun sets with us._

Even if it repeats, he adds any special laughter to his list.

No matter what form Keith’s laughter takes, Lance goes to sleep each night thinking he’s never heard anything so sweet.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! I found this in my docs from early 2017 and decided why the hell not and posted it - an oldie but adorable nevertheless.


End file.
